Hurricane Preparedness

I managed to get some plotting and a few paragraphs done on my short story, now retitled “Hollow,” but the weekend wasn’t as productive in writing as I would have liked. I gave a test on Friday and spent much of Saturday grading it. On Sunday, then, Lana and I looked at houses across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans and ended up putting a deposit down on one just outside the small community of Abita Springs. This is where Abita beer is made so perhaps you can see the attraction.

Why are we moving? Well, besides the aforementioned beer, hurricane season is upon us again here, and though we’re all praying that a Katrina won’t happen again, we’re also taking steps to better protect ourselves. North of the lake and inland, which is where our new house will be, is likely to be a lot safer from flooding--although wind could still be a problem. The move will mean a much longer drive for me to and from work every day, but we’ll also be well out into the country where we can experience some blessed solitude. And, I’ll once again have my own office in the house rather than trying to write in the living room where the TV is and where everyone congregates. If this doesn’t up my productivity then I’ll just have to consider myself hopeless.